5 THINGS TO DO IN BROADFORD COUNTY LIMERICK

Nov 21, 2020

Broadford Arboretum County LimerickKillagholehane Church ruins

BROADFORD VILLAGE AND SURROUNDING AREA.

 

Broadford Village:  Moloney’s Supermarket, Post Office, 3 pubs, childrens’ playground, Arboretum, lime kiln, Roman Catholic Church, Daithi O Bruadair monument, village history storyboard, starting point of four of the Broadford Ashford Walking Trail routes, Millennium garden, community centre (old schoolhouse), Mortimer Duggan plaque, The forge equipment display, Carnegie Library (now meeting room and toilets), vintage agricultural machinery display, Creamery (now Enterprise Centre) and Sheehy Brothers storyboard,

 

2 kms from the village is Killagholehane 15th century church ruins and cemetery. Adjacent to this cemetery is a storyboard detailing famine times in the area, history of the Sullivan family and Curramore House (the Big House of the area in years gone by)

 

FIVE THINGS TO DO IN BROADFORD:

  1. ARBORETUM.

Explore the Arboretum of native Irish trees and shrubs.

 

  1. DAITHÍ O’BRUDAIR MOMUMENT.

Learn about O’Brudair, considered Ireland’s greatest poet of his age who lived in Broadford in the 1600s.

 

  1. BROADFORD/ASHFORD WALKING TRAILS.

Discover one of the 7 local trails which begin in the village. Enjoy the majestic rolling hills and open farmland.

 

  1. KILLAGHOLEHANE CHURCH AND CEMETERY.

Visit the 15th century national monument.

 

  1. HERITAGE ROUTE.

Travel the heritage route in the village reading the historical storyboards and plaques.

 

Arboretum.

Situated opposite the Church. Some years ago this disused limestone quarry was used as a dumping ground and then the Broadford Community Council undertook to develop the quarry as an arboretum. It is now being ecologically restored as an arboretum for Irish native trees and shrubs. These are of Irish genetic provenance. Woodland is the natural home for many wild plants and animals. This arboretum has been planned and will be managed with wild life in mind.

 

Daithi O’Brudair Monument. (positioned across from Church)

Cliodha Cussen, Sculptor.O’Brudair considered Ireland’s greatest poet of his age lived in Broadford in 1600s, was a student in the Local Broadford O’Daly Bardic School. He was Bard to the Fitzgerald family in Springfield Castle (situated between Broadford and Dromcollogher).

 

Sir John Fitzgerald who was O’Brudair’s principal patron and kindred spirit went to France with Patrick Sarsfield after the Treaty of Limerick. Springfield was then a place frequented with harpers and bardic poets plying their art. O’Brudair celebrated in his poetry great events of their lives, marriages and their deaths.

 

Broadford Ashford Walking Trails

Trailhead/Starting point for these trails is at car park across from Church.

The trails traverse part of the Mullaghareirk Mountain range which is situated on the borders of Cork and Limerick. This majestic landscape of rolling hills and open farmland is ideal walking terrain. There are 7 walks in all some of which are looped walks. Each route has been carefully selected to include at least one of the mountain peaks with the best scenery and interesting pathways historical and flora and fauna storyboards. Ideal for an activity holiday.

 

Killagholehane cemetery and church ruin (2kms from Broadford village and part of the local walking trails route.)

 

The first written records of the church occur in the year 1209 but the present Church was built in the 15th Century. It was the parish church. Its most unusual feature is the east window which is divided into three and the middle part has three further divisions. Note the fine 15th century tomb niche in the north wall and the baptismal font lying behind the altar in the window niche. There used to be a gallery above the door. Part of the sanctuary still remains. The church is a national monument and is cared for by the Office of the Public Works. This church yard was also used to bury the famine dead during the 1840s, a plaque on the church wall acknowledges this. Within the burial ground adjacent to the church is an important Republican plot and the headstone commemorates the deaths of local people during the War of Independence.

 

Mortimer Duggan plaque.

Across from car park a plaque indicates the location of the killing of the village schoolteacher during war of Independence.

 

The Sheehy Brothers

Located at the front of the Creamery is a historical storyboard outlining the story of the Sheehy family who have their origins here in Broadford. The brothers David and Eugene were born here in Broadford County Limerick. David was the Irish Parliamentary Party M.P and his brother Fr.Eugine was known as the Land League Priest. Both campaigned against evictions, injustice and inequality during the land wars of the 1840s.The plaque was unveiled in 2017 by Dr.Micheline Sheehy Skeffington.